Hawaii Preparatory Academy

About Ka Makani

The tiny rural town of Waimea on the Big Island of Hawai‘i is home to the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Ka Makani, which is Hawaiian for “the wind,” but there is so much more to it than that. The ancient Hawaiian people were very observant to the world around them and names were given to winds, rains, clouds and other elemental forms. The private, co-educational boarding school, founded in 1949, is noted for its steady trade winds which accelerate down from the hillside at speeds averaging 20 MPH. The wind and rain of Waimea was named by the ancient Hawaiian people as Kipu‘upu‘u, which is widely mentioned in chants and songs for its strength, beauty, the shivering cold, as well as poetic references to its violent nature.

The Kipu‘upu‘u was also one of the most fierce warrior troupes that Hawai‘i has ever known – their name is taken as a way to embody the swift and powerful nature of Waimea’s famed wind and rain. Training in the harsh conditions of Waimea made for very tough warriors. The Kipu‘upu‘u warriors were integral in Kamehameha the Great’s quest to unite all of the Hawaiian islands, which he conquered most of the islands establishing the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in 1810.

Hawaii Prep is also the home of one of the most challenging cross country courses in the state, due to its elevation (2,670 feet above sea level) and hilly terrain. Since 1983, the Ka Makani have claimed a dozen boys and girls cross country state titles, which proves that training in the harsh conditions of Kipu‘upu‘u makes swift and powerful warriors.